Tongs



Jan. 27, 1925.

' W. D. KELLER TONGS Filed Oct. 26 1922 Patented Jan. 27, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER D. KELLER, OF ALLIANCE, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE ALLIANCE MACHINE COMPANY, OF ALLIANCE, OHIO, A'CORPORATION OF OHIO.

TONGS.

Application filed October 26, 1922.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, War/run D. KELLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Alliance, in the county of Stark and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Tongs, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The present invention relates broadly to improvements in tongs for handling ingots and the like, one of the objects of the invention being to secure an approximately parallel motion'of the grippers or bits whereby an improved gripping action is secured.

In the accompanying drawings, there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it being understood that the drawings do not define the limits of the invention as changes may be made in the construction and operation disclosed with out departing from the spirit or scope oi my broader claims.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation, partly in section, illustrating one form of tongs con structed in accordance with the present invention, and

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view on the line IIII of Figure 1.

In the handling of certain objects, it is frequently desirable to grip the same by means of gripping members having a substantially uniform gripping movement and in which the movement is such that the members remain in substantially parallel positions. The present invention provides means by which such a movement may be advantageously produced, and in which the gripping members are so constructed that the operating range of the tongs is increased.

Tongs constructed in accordance with the present invention may comprise a main supporting frame 2 having vertically movable therein a reciprocating head 3. This head may be constructed as is customary in the art to provide oppositely extending slots 4. which cooperate with sliding blocks 5 pivotally mounted on the upper ends of tong arms 6. These tong arms are in turn pivotally mounted on projections 7 ot' the frame 2. While the exact construction of the tong arms is immaterial, they may be conveniently formed in such-manner as to provide spaced links having a reinforcing connecting portion 8.

Serial No. 597,080.

Between the lower ends of the respective links constituting the tong arms, there are provided grippers or bits 9 each having a pivotal mounting 10. As illustrated more particularly in Figure 2, these grippers may be conveniently constructed to provide angular gripping faces, and may be formed with upper faces 11 and lower faces 12, the fa' es being in stepped relationship whereby objects of different size may be conveniently gripped by the tongs, as will be readily understood.

For insuring movement of the grippers of such nature that they remain in substantially parallel relationship at all times, the grippers are preferably provided with up wardly extending portions 13. These portions at their upper ends are cross-connected by links 14 to the tong arms 6. By locating the pivotal points 15 for the links 14: at substantially the same distance from the pivotal mounting of the tong arms as the connections 10, it will be apparent that the grippers are caused to remain in substantially parallel relationship.

The advantages of the present invention arise from a construction of this character in which the operating range of the tongs is increased and in which improved gripping action is insured by reason of the substantially parallel movement of the gripping members.

I claim:

1. Tongs, comprising tong arms each having a separate pivotal mounting intermediate its ends, a gripper movably secured to one end of each of said arms, means for moving said arms to open and close the grippers, and means connecting each gripoer to the tong arms of the other gripper or insuring substantially parallel movement of the tongs during opening and closing thereof, substantially as described.

2. Tongs, comprising pivotally mounted tong arms, grippers pivotally carried thereby and extending between the pivotal mountings for the tong arms, means for moving said arms to open and close said grippers, and means insuring substantially parallel movement of the tongs during opening and closing thereof, substantially as described.

3. Tongs, comprising tong arms each having a separate pivotal mounting intermedi ate its ends, grippers carried by said arms,

means for moving said'arms to open and close the grippers, and means cross-connect ing the arms and grippers for insuring substantially parallel opening and closing movements of the grippers, substantially as described. V

4. Tongs, comprising pivotally mounted tong arms, grippers pivotally carried thereby, means for moving said arms to open and close the grippers, and means cross-connecting said arms and grippers for insuring substantially parallel opening and closing movements of the grippers, substantially as described.

5. Tongs, comprising a supporting frame, tong arms pivotally carried thereby at their intermediate portions, reciprocating means engaging one end of each of said arms for swinging the same about their pivotal mountings, grippers operatively secured to the opposite ends of said arms, and links connecting said grippers and arms for insuring substantially parallel movement of the grippers, substantially as described.

6. Tongs, comprising grippers having stepped gripping faces, means pivotally supporting said grippers for moving the same to open and closed positions, and means for insuring substantially parallel movement of said grippers, subslantiall as described.

7. Tongs, each comprising tong arms,

grippers pivotally connected to one end of each of said tong arms, means engaging the opposite ends of the tong arms to open and close the grippers, and means insuring substantially parallel movement of the tongs during opening and closing thereof. substantially as described.

8. TOHVS. comprising-tong arms each having a pivotal mounting, grippers pivotally connected to said arms and extending between said pivotal mountings, means for moving said arms to open and (lose the grippers, and means insuring substantially parallel movement of the tongs during opening and closing thereof. substantially as described.

In testimony \vhereofI have hereunto set my hand.

WALTER I). KELLER IHI 

